ALPHA ORION'S MUTE BRIDE

~ARIA~

It was a full moon today, a night of celebration, a night of destiny for every pack, a night where everyone would reveal their true form and be mated, but for me, it had become a night of heartbreak and pain.

I stood at the edge of the room, my heart pounding in my chest. I had come to find Alpha Kyle, my supposed mate, assigned to me by the moon goddess.

Alpha Kyle was a rude, manipulative player. He was known by all for his insolent behavior and overbearing attitude. I never liked being mated to him but, I had no choice. my inability to speak out was my greatest fault, making me succumb to my family's every demand.

"You must marry Alpha Kyle, and be the next Luna."

"Can't you see you're already mute, no one is going to want you, the least you could do is be useful to this family for once."

"Make sure he mates you tonight" I hear the cruel voices of my family implanting their selfish desires deep into my mind.

This was meant to be the night we sealed our bond- the moon bonding night, but the scene before me was far from the romantic vision I'd held in my heart. There, in the dim glow of the moonlight, I saw Kyle wrapped around another woman, their bodies entwined in a betrayal that tore at my soul.

My breath hitched, a silent sob shaking my frame. I couldn't scream, couldn't cry out-I was born mute, a curse as some would say. But my silence did nothing to mask the agony spread across my face. I turned to leave, to escape this nightmare, but my feet felt rooted to the spot.

Kyle looked up, his eyes meeting mine. For a moment, there was a flicker of something-guilt, perhaps? But it was quickly replaced by a cold, indifferent stare. He disentangled himself from the woman, standing up with an air of casual arrogance.

"Aria," he called, his voice was sharp, devoid of any warmth. "What are you doing here?"

I wanted to yell, ask him to get lost, but all I could do was mouth his name silently, my eyes were disheartened by the sight I had witnessed. He walked towards me, while the other woman slipped away into the shadows, not wanting me to recognize her true identity.

"Did you see that?" he asked bluntly.

I nodded as tears welled up threatening to fall free across my cheeks. The disappointment and anger I felt were evident in my shaky figure.

I was staring at him, my eyes burning with resentment as he spoke.

"Good." "I'm sure you're mute but not stupid. I can't be mated to an omega who can't even speak, let alone shift. You're a liability to my position, Aria." He spat arrogantly, not minding how I felt by his words.

His words were daggers, each one piercing deeper than the last. My vision blurred with tears I couldn't shed aloud. I shook my head, trying to convey the overwhelming emotions inside of me, but Kyle just sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Look," he said, more to himself than to me, you can't be my luna. You're unfit to rule with me." He added. I knew what came next after such words, a rejection, a painful rejection. I stood helpless waiting for those words.

"I ALPHA KYLE THANE RAYNARD of the dark ember pack, reject you, ARIA ZOVART as my LUNA MATE."

The final blow landed, and I felt my knees buckle. My hands clutched at my chest, the pain of rejection seared through me like fire. I wanted to run, to hide, but I stood still watching him walk away unbothered by his action.

Realizing I had been standing too long, like a fool in the Joker house, I dragged my heavy feet back to my father's house. I had no choice but to return.

"She's back, she's back!" Alma screamed excitedly as she came over to pull me by the hand.

I managed to reveal a small smile. Alma was charming and irresistible, though she was just six. She understood what true family meant. She and my late grandma were the only ones who treated me like family.

My thoughts drifted to Grandma's death, deepening my pain.

"Aria, you are a special being and you were born for greatness. Always remember that." Those were her last words to me before she died.

My eyes welled up with tears. "I am no special being."

"I am a curse."

"A stain to my family."

"A mute being with no mate and no wolf."

"I wasn't born for any greatness like Grandma had said." I closed my eyes, trying to hide my emotions from Alma.

"So, tell me, how was your mating process?" Alma asked, her eyes beaming with excitement as she spoke.

Her question brought Mum and Dad over to us.

Mother didn't even bother to look at the tears in my eyes. She reached for my dress, tearing it open to reveal my nape.

"There's no mating mark," she yelled angrily, turning to Dad.

"What do you mean there's no mating mark?" Dad walked closer, his eyes red with fury. He was on the verge of transforming.

I couldn't hold back my tears. They were now flowing like a river. I was scared Dad was going to shape-shift and hurt me. His wolf was a dangerous, big black one, appearing only during special ceremonies, when he was angry, or when there was danger. But this time, I could tell he was mad angry.

"Don't tell me you were rejected by your mate, Aria," Mum's icy voice added to the tension.

I bowed my head in shame, my eyes were a downpour of emotions I couldn't express, I had hope for pity, even the tiniest bit of it. They weren't the ones rejected, They weren't the ones enduring the pain of a rejection. I should be the one throwing a tantrum, not them.

In the blink of an eye, Dad transformed, rushing at me in anger.

I shut my eyes in fear, ready to feel the pain of his wolf's wound on me, but instead, I heard Alma's blood-curdling scream - a piercing wail that sent chills down my spine. It was a sound of pure terror, a sound that conveyed the horror of what was happening.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Alma's frail body crumpled on the floor, with blood gushing from her shoulder. Her eyes were wide with fear.

Dad realizing what he had done, shifted back to his human form. Mum rushed to Alma, lifting her from the ground. She was losing a lot of blood.

I felt a cold sweat break out on my skin, my breath coming in rapid, shallow gasps. I needed to do something and I had to act fast. I ran outside the house, as fast as my legs could carry me. I had to reach the divine spirit before my sister died. I couldn't let what happened to Grandma happen again.

The divine spirit's house was a sacred place, deep in the woods. Not everyone was permitted to go close, but I had no choice; Alma's life depended on it. I could hear Alma's faint cries behind me, pushing me to run faster.

"Please, hold on, Alma," I whispered to the night, hoping it would carry my message to my little sister.

Finally, I saw the flicker of light in the distance-the divine spirit's house. I burst through the trees, stumbling towards the entrance.

"Please, help me!" I cried, though no sound came out. My silent plea echoed in my mind as I collapsed at the doorstep, scared and exhausted from all the running.

The door opened, and a figure emerged, bathed in a soft, glowing light. The divine spirit looked down at me with a kind gaze.

Her sharp eyes seemed to pierce through me as if seeing into my soul. For a moment, I wondered if I had made a terrible mistake coming here.

I had no other option, and I was willing to sacrifice anything-even my own life. I crept closer to her, clutching her feet in desperation.

"Aria, I know why you've come," she said, her voice soothing as a gentle breeze. "We will save your sister."

I looked up, with unspoken gratitude in my eyes. The spirit nodded and gestured for me to follow. We hurried back through the woods, the spirit moving gracefully.

When we reached my father's hut, the scene was chaotic. My mother was frantic, trying to stop Alma's bleeding. My father stood nearby, his eyes boiling with anger.

The spirit moved quickly, laying hands on Alma. A soft glow surrounded her, and I watched in awe as her wounds began to heal. I let out a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. My father turned to me, his eyes hard.

"You," he spat, his voice trembling with fury. "You are the cause of all our suffering. You are not my daughter."

"You tried to kill your sister, the same way you killed your grandma."

From now on, you are a curse, an outcast."

I felt the words like a punch, my body recoiling from each word uttered. My mother looked away, unable to meet my eyes. The divine spirit stood, the glow fading as Alma's breathing steadied.

"She saved her sister's life," the spirit said quietly before turning to leave, but there was no sympathy in my father's gaze.

"You are banished," he said coldly. "Leave this place and never return."

I had to get away. The forest was the only place I could think of. With one last look at the pack that had never accepted me, I turned and ran, allowing the shadows of the forest to swallow me whole.

I ran until my legs gave out, collapsing onto the forest floor. My lungs burned, and my muscles ached, but I couldn't stop. I wouldn't stop until I was far away from the pain and betrayal that had defined my life. I looked up as the moon's light flickered through the trees, guiding me like a beacon as I fled.

As the night wore on, my pace slowed down, collapsing onto the cool grass, my breath ragged unsteadily. The rejection pain, combined with my inability to shift, was too much for me to bear at this point. My body began trembling in exhaustion, my vision darkening at the edges. I gasped for breath, but the air felt thick, suffocating. The world around me started to spin, with the tall trees becoming a blur of green and black.

I raised my head to face the moon once more, which seemed like it was mocking me silently up in the sky as it illuminated its glow against my bruised skin. My thoughts were a chaotic mess of sorrow and anger, with so many unanswered questions that I began to curse the Moon Goddess, my family, my pack and even myself.

Why did I have to be born like this? Why was I always the one to suffer?

Suddenly, I heard an unfamiliar sound, different from the rustling of leaves and squeaking of the night owl. I felt a strange sense of fear, my heart jolted in panic, urging me to run away but my body was far spent to move an inch. The sound grew louder, and soon, I could make out muffled voices and the sound of footsteps approaching. I tried to move, but my limbs felt like lead.

Without warning, I felt a pair of strong hands grab me, lifting me off the ground. I tried to struggle, but it was no use. My vision blurred, and with one final, silent cry, I surrendered to the darkness of the woods, with the last thing I saw being the silhouette of a man looming over me.